Instant video communication connections

• US 9,516,269 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zhou, Xiaosong, Wu, Hsi-Jung, Chung, Chris Y., Normile, James O., Abuan, Joe S., Jeong, Hyeonkuk, Yang, Yan, Johar, Gobind, Jansen, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US14/296,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Computing devices may implement instant video communication connections for video communications. Connection information for mobile computing devices may be maintained. A request to initiate an instant video communication may be received, and if authorized, the connection information for the particular recipient mobile computing device may be accessed. Video communication data may then be sent to the recipient mobile computing device according to the connection information so that the video communication data may be displayed at the recipient device as it is received. New connection information for different mobile computing devices may be added, or updates to existing connection information may also be performed. Connection information for some mobile computing devices may be removed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data store, configured to maintain an authorization list and respective connection information for a plurality of pre-established instant video communication connections with a respective plurality of remote mobile computing devices, wherein the authorization list is configured to designate a particular one or more devices of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices as authorized for respective ones of the plurality of pre-established instant video communication connections, and wherein other ones of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices are not authorized;

one or more processors;

a memory comprising program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to implement a video communication module;

the video communication module, configured to;

receive a request to initiate an instant video communication with a particular one of the remote mobile computing devices;

in response to receipt of the request to initiate the instant video communication;

determine that the instant video communication connection to the particular remote mobile computing device is authorized based on the authorization list;

in response to said determination;

access the data store for the respective connection information for the particular remote mobile computing device; and

transmit captured video communication data for the requested instant video communication according to the respective instant connection information such that the captured video communication data may be displayed at the particular remote mobile computing device as it is received.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the video communication module is further configured to:

prior to receipt of the instant video communication request;

send a request to the particular remote mobile computing device for authorization to establish the instant video communication connection with the particular remote mobile computing device;

receive the respective connection information for the particular remote mobile computing device; and

store the respective connection information for the particular remote mobile computing device in the data store.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the video communication module is further configured to:

prior to receipt of the instant video communication request;

receive a request for authorization to establish the respective pre-established instant video communication connections from the remote mobile computing device;

in response to receipt of the request for authorization;

in response to a determination that the particular remote mobile computing device is authorized to establish the pre-established instant video communication connection, respond to the request with the respective connection information to establish the pre-established instant video communication connection.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein the system further comprises an electronic display;

wherein the video communication module is further configured to;

receive other video communication data via another one of the pre-established instant video communication connections from another remote mobile computing device of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices;

in response to receipt of the other video communication data;

in response to a determination that the other pre-established instant video communication is authorized, display the other video communication data on the electronic display as the other video communication data is received.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein to display the other video communication data on the electronic display, the video communication module is configured determine a display location within the electronic display that currently displays image data for another application.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a mobile phone.

7. A method, comprising:

performing, by a portable mobile computing device;

receiving a request to initiate an instant video communication with a remote portable multi-function computing device of a plurality of remote portable multi-function computing devices;

in response to receiving the request to initiate the instant video communication;

determining, based on a stored authorization list, that the instant video communication connection to the remote portable multi-function computing device is authorized, wherein the authorization list is configured to designate a particular one or more devices of the plurality of remote portable multi-function computing devices as authorized for the instant video communication connection, and wherein other ones of the plurality of remote portable multi-function computing devices are not authorized;

in response to said determining;

accessing stored connection information for the remote portable multi-function computing device; and

transmitting captured video communication data for the requested instant video communication according to the stored instant connection information such that the captured video communication data may be displayed at the remote portable multi-function computing device as it is received.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prior to receiving the instant video communication request;

sending a request to the remote portable multi-function computing device for authorization to establish an instant video communication connection;

receiving connection information to establish the instant video communication connection; and

storing the connection information for the remote portable multi-function computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing, by the remote portable multi-function computing device;

receiving the request for authorization to establish the instant video communication connection with the portable multi-function computing device;

in response to receiving the request;

determining that the portable multi-function computing device is authorized to establish the instant video communication connection; and

in response to said determining that the portable multi-function computing device is authorized to establish the instant video communication connection, responding to the request with the instant connection information.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing, by the remote portable multi-function computing device;

receiving the video communication data via the instant video communication connection; and

displaying the video communication data at the remote portable multi-function computing device as the video communication data is received.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving another request to initiate an instant video communication with another remote portable multi-function computing device;

in response to receiving the other request;

in response to determining that the instant video communication connection to the other remote portable multi-function computing device is not authorized;

establishing a video communication connection with the other remote portable multi-function computing device; and

transmitting other captured video communication data for the other requested instant video communication via the established video communication connection with the other remote portable multi-function computing device.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a change in the connection information for the instant video communication connection; and

in response to detecting the change, updating the stored connection information for the remote portable multi-function computing device according to the detected change.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said detecting the change in the connection information for the instant video communication connection comprises periodically or aperiodically polling the remote portable multi-function computing device to verify the instant video communication connection.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, storing program instructions that when executed by a mobile computing device causes the mobile computing device to implement:

maintaining an authorization list and a plurality of pre-established instant video communication connections with a respective plurality of remote mobile computing devices, wherein the authorization list is configured to designate a particular one or more devices of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices as authorized for respective ones of the plurality of pre-established instant video communication connections, and wherein other ones of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices are not authorized;

receiving video communication data via one of the pre-established instant video communication connections from the respective remote mobile computing device;

in response to receiving the video communication data;

in response to determining, based on the authorization list, that the pre-established instant video communication is authorized, displaying the video communication data as the video communication data is received.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14,

wherein the program instructions cause the mobile computing device to further implement:

prior to receiving the video communication data;

sending a request to the respective remote mobile computing device for authorization to establish the instant video communication connection with the respective remote mobile computing device;

receiving connection information to establish the instant video communication connection; and

wherein, in said maintaining the plurality of pre-established instant video communication connections with the respective plurality of remote mobile computing devices, the program instructions cause the mobile computing device to implement storing the connection information for the remote mobile computing device.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein, in said displaying the video communication data as the video communication data is received, the program instructions causing the mobile computing device to implement determining a display location within an electronic display currently displaying image data for another application, wherein the display location is dynamically determined according to one or more display attributes configured at runtime as part of executing the other application.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions cause the mobile computing device to further implement:

prior to receiving the video communication data;

receiving a request for authorization to establish another one of the plurality of pre-established instant video communication connections from another mobile computing device;

in response to receiving the request;

determining that the other mobile computing device is authorized to establish the other pre-established instant video communication connection; and

in response to said determining that the other mobile computing device is authorized to establish the other pre-established instant video communication connection, responding to the request with connection information to establish the pre-established instant video communication connection.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions cause the mobile computing device to further implement:

receiving a request to initiate an instant video communication with another one of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices;

in response to receiving the request to initiate the instant video communication;

in response to determining that the instant video communication connection to the other remote mobile computing device is authorized, sending captured video communication data for the requested instant video communication via the other respective pre-established instant video communication connection to the other remote mobile computing device.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions cause the plurality of mobile computing devices to implement:

in response to receiving an indication of de-authorization for another one of the plurality of remote mobile computing devices, removing the respective pre-established instant video communication connection for the other remote mobile computing device.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the indication of de-authorization is received via a user interface at the mobile computing device, and wherein, in said removing the respective pre-established instant video communication connection for the other remote mobile computing device, the program instructions cause the mobile computing device to implement sending a de-authorization notification to the other remote computing device.